Methods of fabrication of graphite powder molds

Abstract

The disclosure relates to methods of fabricating of a graphite powder mold, including: applying a base layer to an exposed surface of a mold having one or more features; depositing a graphite powder onto the base layer to fill the one or more features; applying a cover layer onto an exposed surface of the graphite powder, wherein the cover layer and the base layer join at intersecting surfaces encasing the graphite powder to form the graphite powder mold having one or more raised features

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a graphite powder mold, comprising:
 applying a base layer to an exposed surface of a mold having one or more features;   depositing a graphite powder onto the base layer to fill the one or more features;   applying a cover layer onto an exposed surface of the graphite powder, wherein the cover layer and the base layer join at intersecting surfaces encasing the graphite powder to form the graphite powder mold having one or more raised features.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the base layer and the cover layer comprise an adhesive material. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the base layer or cover layer comprises graphite powder. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the adhesive layer has a thickness of about 0.1 to about 1.0 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: curing the base layer prior to depositing graphite power onto the layer; and curing the cover layer after applying the cover layer onto the exposed surface of the graphite powder. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising curing the base layer and the cover layer simultaneously. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the base layer comprises a grafoil sheet having one or more features to match the one or more features of the mold. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the cover layer comprises a flat grafoil sheet bonded to the base layer at intersecting surfaces by an adhesive material. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the adhesive material comprises graphite powder. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one of the base layer or the cover layer comprises an adhesive material and the other of the base layer or the cover layer comprises a grafoil sheet. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the base layer comprises an adhesive material and the cover layer comprises a flat grafoil sheet. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the base layer comprises a grafoil sheet having one or more features to match the one or more features of the mold and the cover layer comprises an adhesive material. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the base layer comprises one of a paper material or a polymer material, the base layer having one or more features to match the one or more features of the mold, and wherein the cover layer comprises one of the paper material or the polymer material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 inserting the graphite powder mold into a hot-pressing die, wherein the graphite powder mold comprises a first surface having the one or more raised features and second surface opposite the first surface having one or more depressed features corresponding to the one or more raised features of the first surface,   pouring a first layer of fill material into the hot-pressing die, wherein the fill material at least covers the one or more raised features of the graphite powder mold, applying a first pressure to the fill material in a direction perpendicular to the first surface,   applying a second pressure to the graphite powder mold in a direction perpendicular to the second surface while applying the first pressure, and   heating the fill material while applying the first pressure and second pressure to compress the fill material in a direction of the thickness of the fill material to form a final part.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 removing the final part from the hot-pressing die, and   removing the graphite powder mold to expose the features of the final part.   
     
     
         16 . An article, comprising:
 a first surface;   a second surface opposing the first surface;   a side wall connecting the first surface to the second surface,
 wherein the side wall defines a thickness of the article, 
 wherein the first surface comprises one or more raised features, 
 wherein the second surface comprises one or more depressed features corresponding to the one or more raised features of the first surface, 
 wherein the first surface, second surface and the sidewall enclose a volume; and 
   a graphite powder filling the volume.   
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the first surface and the second surface comprise an adhesive material. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the first surface or the second surface comprises graphite powder. 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the first surface has a thickness of about 0.1 to about 1.0 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the second surface has a thickness of about 0.1 to about 1.0 mm. 
     
     
         21 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the first surface and the second surface comprise a grafoil sheet. 
     
     
         22 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein one of the first surface or the second surface comprises an adhesive material and the other of the first surface or the second surface comprises a grafoil sheet. 
     
     
         23 . A method of forming a graphite powder mold, comprising:
 pouring a mixture of graphite powder and binder into a cold pressing die;   applying a force to compress the mixture into a graphite powder disk;   removing the graphite powder disk from the die;   machining the graphite powder disk to form one or more features on the graphite powder disk.